Shipping case for mobile x-ray unit



Feb. 2, 1960 J. c. CRAIG SHIPPING CASE FOR MOBILE X-RAY UNIT Filed March 27, 1957 United States. Patent 2,923,400 SHIPPING'CASE FOR MOBILE X-RAY UNIT James C. Craig, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Picker X- Ray Corporation, Waite Manufacturing Division, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 27, 1957, Serial No. 648,854

3 Claims. c1. 2061) This invention relates to shipping cases and more particularly to shipping cases for mobile X-ray units.

An object of the present invention is to provide an and rigidity to withstand hard usage.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shipping case for a control box which incorporates appropriate resilient liners for the purpose of supporting said box against shock and other damaging effects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel shipping case for a control box for mobile X-ray units characterized by its structural simplicity, the easeof assembly of its parts, its strong and sturdy nature and its low manufacturing cost. Other features of this invention reside in the arrangement and design of the parts for carrying out their appropriate'functions.

'Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the shipping case in a reassembled condition wherein its component parts provide a support for the X-ray control box and having parts broken away to more clearly show the details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational. view of a shipping case in a position of assembly wherein the mobile X-ray control box is contained therein ready for shipping and having parts broken away to more clearly show the details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the lower casing member, as seen in Fig. l, having 'parts broken away to more clearly show its construction.

Fig. 4 isa top plan view of the lower casing member, as seen in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the upper casing member, as seen in Fig. l, and having parts broken away to more clearly show its construction.

Fig. 6 is a topplan. view of the upper casing member ofFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view enlarged, taken along 1. the planelof. line 7-7 of Fig. 1v and showing details of the latching mechanism.

Before describing. in detail the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the structural details or the particular arrangement of parts herein shown, as devices embodying the present invention may take other forms. It also is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology herein used are for purposes of description and not of limitation, as the scope of the present invention is denoted by the appended claims,

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Referring first to Fig. 2, I have shown the present shipping case 10 in an assembled condition ready for shipping and supporting within its confines an X-ray control box or unit illustrated by the dotted line 11. The shipping case includes a lower casing member 12 and an upper casing member 13. As seen in Fig. 2, the upper casing member 13 rests above the lower casing member 12. The lower casing member 12, as seen in Figs. 2, 5 and 6, comprises generally a rectangular housing having a bottom 14, four side walls 12a, and an open top. The upper edge of each of the side walls is bent back upon itself at substantially 180 and then inwardly of the casing at right angles to the side walls for a short distance providing a horizontally extending flange 15 which extends around the inner periphery of the upper edge of lower casing member 12, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 5. A gasket 16 of sponge rubber or suitable resilient material is suitably secured to the upper surface of the flange 15 and extends completely around the flange, as seen in Fig. 6. It will be noted that the flange 15 is positioned a small vertical distance below the uppermost edge of the lower casing member 12. The bottom 14 is provided with upstanding side walls 14.: whose outer peripheral surfaces fit snugly against the inner peripheral surfaces of the lower casing side walls 12a, thereby permitting the bottom member tobe provided with depending side walls 17a which are adapted' C to be inserted within the confines of the side walls .131: of the casing.13 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the lower casing member 12. The walls 17a are secured to the inner surfaces of the side walls 13a of the upper casing 13 by anysuitablemeans such as welding or riveting. A seen in Fig. 2, the lower edge of each of the side walls 13a is bent inwardly upon itself through substantially 180 and then bent toward the interior of the casing at substantially right angles to the plane of the side walls for a short distance so as to form an inwardly extending flange 18 which extends around the innerperipheral wall of the open side of the upper casing member 13, as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

It will be notedhthat the interior peripheral dimensions of the upper casing member 13 are somewhat greater than the'outer peripheral dimensions of the lower casing It f'will be further noted that the inner lie closely adjacent the outer surface-of the side walls 12a'of the lowerf'casirig member 12 with a snug fit, as seen in Fig.2. The lower surface'of the flange 18, as seen in Fig. 2, is provided'with' a sponge rubber 'or other suitable resilient gasket 20 which extends completely T faround'the'flange,as seen'in Fig. 4.

The X-ray control unit 11 is provided with a rigidly connected base plate 21 whose outer dimensions are such 1 as topermit the base plate to be snugly received within the confines of the folded portion 22 of the side walls of the lower casing member 12 wherein marginal edge -portions ofits lower surface may rest upon the upper surface of the sponge rubber gasket 16 surroundingthe flange portion 15 in the lower casing member 12.

The method of assembling the various components of the present invention for shipping is as follows: The lower casing member 12 is placed in a position, as seen in Figs,

.t a 9,923,40b,

upper surface of the gasket 16, in a manner as heretofore described, with the main portion of the control unit extendlargerthan the control unit 11 so 'as-to permittherubber gaskets '16 and 20 to engage both the upper and lo'wer surface of the-marginal edges of the. base plate completely around' its entire periphery.

"Suitable toggle catches 25 are p rovidedbetween-the upper and lower casing members12and 13, on both the 'front'and back of the assembly, asseen in Figs.1,2, 3, -'and 7. When latched they provide a tightly closed casing for the X-raycontrol unit 11. T he toggle catches are so constructed and have their'relative partsso positioned with respect to the unit that they"are"always-under ten- *sion when in a latched'po'sition'so as to force the gasket members 20 and '16' toward? one another thereby closely embracing andcompressing the base plate between them. 'Inthis'manner, theX-ray control unit 11 is snugly sup- ,ported between resilient mountingsand is shielded within a totally enclosed stronglyconstructed shipping case so that it may beprotected'against damiage. As seen in Figs.

3' and 7, the mainbody portion of the'toggle catch in- ..cludes a link 26 and an associated lever127 secured to the outersurface of'thecasingmember 13. Hook portions 28 are secured adjacent both the upper and lower edges of the-casing member 12, as seen in Figs. 1 and 5,.so as to .permit latch engagement when the, upper andlower casing members are in shipping position, asiin Fig. 2, orare reversed with respect to each other, asinFig. 1.' The link 26is pivotally secured to the lever 27 at29'while the lever 27 is pivotally secured'to abracket 30 at 31.

Bracket 30 is rigid with casing memberlBQ 'Thetlink is placed over the book 28 and then lockedin placel-by .movement of the 'lever.27 around. pivot31 in the usual manner into the position as seen in Fig. 7.

The shipping case of Fig. 2 may be converted from its assembled position, as seenwin Fig. 2,.into-an X-ray controlunit supporting stand, as seen in Fig. 1. Referring :now to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the upper casing member 13 has been invertedfrom the position of Fig.2 insuch a manner that its closed top portion 17Inow rests upon the :ground. The relative positions of the lower casing member 12 and the control unit 11. and its associated base plate 21, as. seen in Fig. 2, remain unchanged .and. are merelypicked up as a unitand placed upon the open end of the inverted casing member-13. It will benotedlhat the bottom'14ofthe casing member 12 is constructed so as to rest upon therubbengasket 202 and within the vertically'extending flange 19 of casingmember13. It will be .noted that even in the operating position"; asseen in Fig. 1, the X-ray control'unit 11'-is supported against accidential displacement from thecasing member '12 since :the base plate .21 resides inwardlyof .the'upper edge of the casing member 12. Through the provision of this .inovel shipping case, :a :support is provided asseen in Fig. -1; wherein the X-ray control unit is positioned-at a height .for. easy access during use. Reversible handle v35 are secured to opposite sidewalls of the casing- 13'to1facilitate withstand 'severe punishmentwithout injuryto the unit contained therein. IlFWill .be further;'seen that substan- -l2- and '5 withits open end at the top; The X-ray control 7 I unit. 11 is then positioned with its -base -plate-21 upon the have to:travehundenlthe'lower-"edge oiitlre side Walls uptially 'a ll of the'ioining edgesof thenovelcoiitainer are weather-proof. ;-The bottom.14 of the lower casing member 12 and. the top 17 of the upper casing member 13 (which formsthe bottom of the support stand as seen in Fig. 1) are each provided with upstanding side wall portions which are to be disposed interiorly of the side walls of their respective casing members, so as to make it impossible for water to seep therein when used, as seen in Figs. land 2. For' waterto penetrate the join-ts between the "side walls of the casings and thelbottoms, it would first wardly between the surfaces of the-' side wallsand the upstanding walls-of the respective bottom portions and finally flow over the upper edge of the bottom portions, which is extremely unlikely. -The seal formed by the overlap-. ping outer side walls of the upper and lower casing members respectively, coupled with the tightly engaging rubber gaskets 16 and 21) foi-rn substantially 1 double weatherproofing s'eals around theadjoiningfportions of the F housing. 3

- In addition to the weather-proofingifeatures and re- "silient mounting of the control unit, the present casing is designed for. quick an'd easy assembly and disassembly.

The toggle catch permits the members tobe quicklyunlatched from one another' andchanged to their respective positions whether they-be used for the support shown in 'Fig. 1 or the closed shipping case, as seen in' Fig. 2.

In view of the foregoing description, taken inconjunc- "tion with 'theaccompanying" drawings, it is believed that a clearunderstanding 'of the construction, operation and advantages of the devicewill be'quite'apparentf to those V skilled in this'art. l

- Having 'thusdescribed-my invention and illustrated its.

use,-what- I, claim asnewanddesireto secure by Letters Patentis: A

l. The combination'ofan'X-raycontroljdevice having "a. rigidly connected baseplateextefldilng horizontally therefrom, said device extending vertically 'above said baseplate; and ."a combi'ned shipping" case and support ,stand' therefor, said casecomprising a 'hollow device- Supporting'member and fanother hollowmember, said device-supporting member "havin'ga' bottom and rigidly I extending flange parts, said other hollow member having normally a top 'anc1 "ri'gidly connectedfdownwardly exparts while housingsaid'flevice and having horizontally attached upstanding side walls and vertically extending flange parts at its upper device-supportingedgeopposite its "bottom and horizontallyjiextending flange parts extending inwardlyfronr'saidside walls and spaced slightly below. said upperedge,'-said base plate fitting snugly within said vertically "extendingflange parts when resting upon said horizontally extendingflange parts, resilient cushioningmaterial betweensaid'base plate'and said horizontally tending side walls andvertically extending flange parts at its normally lower edge of dimensions'to snugly emv brace said 'first mentioned "vertically f extending flange extending flange parts "e'xtendiiig linw'ardly from its "side "walls and spaced slightly above its vertically extending flange parts, resilientcushioningmeanssecuredto the normally lowerface of saidllast named horizontally extending flange parts in p'o'sition'to engage'saidbase plate when the latter is resting u on said" firstnamedjhorizontally extendingflange'parts and said second named yertically extending flangeparts are embracingfsaid first named vertically extendingflange'parts, and means for securing said two hollow members t'ogetherin one'position as a shipping case with said other member normal top upward and abovetsaid device-supporting member,

and in a seco'nd'position as 'a support stand for said device with said other member normal topdownward and below s'aid device-supportingmernber with said bottom of saidldevice-supporting member having dimensions adapted to fit within and be embraced 'by said second named ver- .tically extending flange parts while resting onsaid'second mentioned resil ent cushioning'means.

2. A combination, as set forth in claim 1, with said last mentioned means including coacting toggle catch parts carried by said members adjacent said flanges to secure said members detachably together in said one position, each of said flange parts being integrally formed as a portion of the side wall of its associated member bent upon itself to form said vertically extending flange parts and then bent outwardly at a right angle to form said horizontally extending flange parts.

3. A shipping case and support stand for a mobile X-ray unit control device comprising a lower casing member, said lower casing member having a closed bottom and an open top, an upper casing member, said upper casing member having a closed top and an open bottom, a flange extending around the inner periphery of the open top of said lower casing member, a resilient gasket on the upper surface of said flange of said lower casing member, a flange extending around the inner periphery of the open bottom of said upper casing member, a resilient gasket on the lower surface of said flange of said upper casing member, said bottom portion of said upper casing being of such dimension as to fit snugly over at 6 a least the upper portion of said lowercasing member with said resilient gaskets in registration, a base plate for supporting said X-ray unit device, said base plate of dimensions fitting between said resilient gaskets on said flanges of said upper and lower casing members, said shipping case being convertible into an X-ray unit device support stand upon turning said upper casing member upside down and placing it beneath said lower casing member, said lower casing member bottom having outer dimensions fitting within the confines of said open bottom inverted of said upper casing member and supported on saidresilient gasket on said flange of said upper casing member when said upper casing member is in its inverted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 941,303 Borden Nov. 23, 1909 985,106 Bradshaw Feb. 21, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS 138,016 Austria June 25, 1934 441,443 Germany Mar. 3, 1927 

